i think this year has definately been the most awesome playoffs in NBA history with possibility of Lakers-Celtics in the finals, and the huge rivalries between clubs like PHX/SA and CLE/WSH. Unfortunately my suns lost tonight and Mike D'Antoni just freaking quit as coach with an old ass team. Good thing i guess i picked Utah in the work pool to win the west. Whats happening to boston and detroit btw? They are both top seeds and were 2-2 until today when detroit won, but still. They were supposed to blow out Philly and Atlanta.

1. Detroit - they have been in the conference finals the last 5 years. I expect them to do it again. They looked like the Mavericks through the first 3 1/2 games, but they seem to have righted the ship. If they quit mailing in games (not likely) they could be the best team overall. Best starting 5, deep bench.

2. Boston - they would have been #1 a few days ago, but consecutive losses to a 37 win team probably means they are not as good as their record shows. Maybe equal to the Pistons, but until Boston shows they can do it in the playoffs they gotta be behind the team that has done it. The great KG might make it past round 1 this year!!!

3. Orlando - Up and coming team that will be the beasts of the east by 2010. Too young and inexperienced to make it past round 2.

4 The Lebrons - Lebron James can win a game or 2 all by himself in each round, now he just needs his teammates to help him win the other 2. Wildcard team in the east. Could get swept in rd 2, could make it to the finals.

5. Atlanta, Philly, Washington. Thanks for showing up. Buh bye.

West

1++ Spurs - NBA Champs look good. Easily the top team in the west.

2 Lakers - Only good until Kobe realizes Pau Gasol is getting too many accolades, then Kobe will take 70 shots a game and the Lakers will lose to the Spurs. Kobe has never done anything without Shaq. I don't expect this year to be any different.

3 Hornets - Chris Paul has stepped it up, but can they sustain it? My guess is no.

4 Jazz/Rockets - Maybe if the Rockets hadn't lost Yao Ming.....maybe next year Tracy McGrady will win a playoff round.

As far as the east is concerned, i still think boston and detroit will make the conference finals but it is anyones guess as to who will win. But Orlando will put up a great fight against detroit in round two, unless detroit cant stop dwight howard.

In the west i dont think the spurs will be able to beat New Orleans. They spent so much time slowing down the suns with the hack-a-shaq, they wont be prepared for Chris Paul and David West. Paul is not Nash and can't be contained by Bruce Bowen. I was going to say Utah would play New Orleans in the conference finals, but they got trashed by Houston by like 30 last night. I still think Utah will win the series vs Houston, but not so sure they can be the lakers now. It all depends on how well they can contain LA's roleplayers like Odom.

Boston vs Cleveland. Should be a good series. Boston is not as good as most thought obviously (cmon Celtics, win a road game vs a 37 win team), and Cleveland has the player(s) to win this series I think. Look for this one to go 6 or 7 games. Cleveland winning would not be an upset, they are the defending Eastern champs after all.

Detroit vs Orlando. Pistons looked pretty good in game 1. 6' 7" Jason Maxiel gave Dwight Howard fits. If the Magic can't figure a way to get Howard going this could be a short series. Howard hurt his hand in game 1, if its bad, Pistons win this series in 5.

I hear Chauncey Billups might not be able to play game 4, the pistons i dont think can beat orlando without him, they might have 4 all stars but he is the glue of the team. What is up with lebron, shooting 6 for 41 or somehting like that, 19% i think...he needs to make shots if cleveland expects to win.

Well they say Chauncey could play in game 4. They can win a game without him I think, no way Rashard Lewis is going to score 30+ again. The Pistons still control that series, it would be nice if he played and they could put the Magic in a deep hole.

Lebron has to shoot better than he did in Boston. If he shot 45% Cleveland would have won at least one of those games. Ben Wallace couldn't play due to allergies? WTF?

Spurs got back into thier series, but they still have to win game 4. The Hornets have been much better than I expected.

looks like NO gonna lose game 4 but its only halftime right now, it seems that if SA shuts down everyone but cp3 and west, they cant win. NO gonna need more than just 2 players to win in San Antonio. LA lost a nailbiter to Utah today too, looks like Kobe can still play even when his back hurts. I dont understand the Flagrant 2 from Turiaf to Price either. I mean just go for the arms, he didnt have to body check him and send him flying to the floor face first. Stuff like that been happening all too much lately. It seems coaches are telling their players to play dirty nowadays. Looks the detroit series is over as well. Dwight Howard got shut down in game 5. I was also surprised Cleveland won game 3 with Lebron shooting 5/16 i think it was. Lebron needs to step it up and get his confidence back, hes not going to be able to rely on the rest of his team to win. I still think it will go 7.